Question:

I
am still a little confused about what I need to actually do. I heard
about baptism, but they say that the thief on the cross wasn’t
baptized. Isn’t he in heaven?

Answer:

Once again I appreciate the time taken to
ask questions concerning your salvation. Personally, I don’t believe
the confusion comes from what the Bible says concerning salvation. The
confusion occurs because the clear teaching of the Bible doesn’t
match what you have always heard.

Let us address the thief on the cross.
The following is a composition of the gospel accounts:

“Then
they crucified Him ... And they put up over His head the accusation written
against Him: THIS IS JESUS THE KING OF THE JEWS. Then two robbers were
crucified with Him, one on the right and another on the left. And those
who passed by blasphemed Him, wagging their heads and saying, "You
who destroy the temple and build it in three days, save Yourself! If
You are the Son of God, come down from the cross." Likewise the
chief priests also, mocking with the scribes and elders, said, "He
saved others; Himself He cannot save. If He is the King of Israel, let
Him now come down from the cross, and we will believe Him. He trusted
in God; let Him deliver Him now if He will have Him; for He said, 'I
am the Son of God.'" ” (Matthew 27:35, 37-43).

“Then
one of the criminals who were hanged blasphemed Him, saying, "If
You are the Christ, save Yourself and us." But the other, answering,
rebuked him, saying, "Do you not even fear God, seeing you are under
the same condemnation? And we indeed justly, for we receive the due reward
of our deeds; but this Man has done nothing wrong." Then he said
to Jesus, "Lord, remember me when You come into Your kingdom." And
Jesus said to him, "Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with
Me in Paradise."” (Luke 23:39-43)

First, let us note that
we know little of the background of the thief. We know that he believed
that his punishment was just. He knew he was a thief and he was willing
to acknowledge that it was wrong. We also know that this thief knew of
Jesus’ teachings. Think about what the man had said to Jesus, “Lord,
remember me when You come into Your kingdom.” Jesus was dying
on a cross right beside him! Yet the thief understood that Jesus would
be receiving a kingdom and apparently he understood that it was a spiritual
kingdom (John 18:36). Somehow I don’t think this thief gained this
depth of knowledge during the short time he was hanging on the cross
with the Lord.

Hence, we arrive at the second notable item. The Scripture
does not record for us whether the thief had been baptized. We know that
John had been baptizing in Judea for several years and the gospel of
John also relates, “After these things Jesus and His disciples
came into the land of Judea, and there He remained with them and baptized” (John
3:22). At little later in John we find, “Therefore, when the
Lord knew that the Pharisees had heard that Jesus made and baptized more
disciples than John (though Jesus Himself did not baptize, but His disciples),
He left Judea and departed again to Galilee” (John 4:1-3).
A large number of people have been baptized, so we cannot state with
certainty that the thief was not baptized. However, given that he was
an admitted thief, it does seem unlikely, unless he was one of those
who fell back into the ways of the world after becoming a follower.

We
must also acknowledge that Jesus is the Lord. As the Son of God, he had
the authority to make exceptions. As Matthew records, “And Jesus
came and spoke to them, saying, "All authority has been given to
Me in heaven and on earth.” (Matthew 28:18).

Another item of
interest is that people point to the thief’s salvation because
he acknowledged his belief in Jesus, but I know of no one who claim the
remainder of the circumstances of this man’s salvation must also
be followed. After all, this man hung on a cross besides the Son of God.
In order for you or I to be saved like the thief, would we not also need
the opportunity to hang on a cross beside the Lord? Of course, that cannot
happen because Jesus is now enthroned in Heaven. “But this Man,
after He had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down at the
right hand of God, from that time waiting till His enemies are made His
footstool. For by one offering He has perfected forever those who are
being sanctified” (Hebrews 10:12-14). While we can express
our faith as the thief did, we cannot match the remainder of the thief’s
situation.

Finally, we must understand that at the
time of the thief’s salvation, the new covenant had not been inaugurated. “And
for this reason He is the Mediator of the new covenant, by means of death,
for the redemption of the transgressions under the first covenant, that
those who are called may receive the promise of the eternal inheritance.
For where there is a testament, there must also of necessity be the death
of the testator. For a testament is in force after men are dead, since
it has no power at all while the testator lives” (Hebrews 9:15-17).
How the thief gained salvation prior to the death of Jesus and the beginning
of the new covenant does not impact how people are saved now that the
new covenant is in force.

The Scriptures consistently teach that salvation
is only through Christ. “Nor is there salvation in any other,
for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must
be saved” (Acts 4:12). Jesus warns that the way to heaven is
narrow. “Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and
broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go
in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads
to life, and there are few who find it” (Matthew 7:13-14).
In pointing out the unity of Christianity, Paul stated, “There
is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called in one hope of your
calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all,
who is above all, and through all, and in you all” (Ephesians
4:4-6). Notice this. There is only one church. There is only one faith.
There is only one baptism. The Bible does not teach that there are multiple
roads to heaven. It emphasizes that there is only one. Rather than looking
for a possible exception to the rule, does it not make sense that we
would strive to follow the rule?

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